Cushion spring



Jur le 15 1926. 1,588,743

F. KARR CUSHION SPRING Original Filed June 7, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 [7227221 for:

June 15 1926. 1,588,743

. F. KARR CUSHION SPRING Original Filed June 7. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 n mentor.-

15: 1 wail arm Patented June 15, 1926.

UNITED STATES FRANCIS KARE, E HQLLAND, MICHIGAN.

CUSHION SPRING.

Application filed June 7, 1922, Serial No. 566,551. Renewed March 4, 1926.

The invention relates to improvements in bed or cushion springs. The principal object of the invention is to avoid the necessity for crimpin or otherwise indenting the surface coils 0% the spiral springs used in the ordinary cushion or spring bed bottom construction to provide means for securing the coils together, the improved construction permitting the use of plain circular terminal coils requiring no special crimping, operation in their manufacture.

A further object is to obtain the greatest possible flexibility and strength in the connection between the coils. A further object is to accomplish these desirable ends by the use of plain cylindrical connecting springs which are secured to a locking device formed of soft and easily machined wire of light gage, which may be readily applied to the surface coils, and on account of the softness of the material maybe readily crimped to fix the position of the connecting springs.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a top plan View showing a palr of spring coils provided with a preferred form of locking device, and showing a plurality of the spiral connecting springs;

Fig. 2 is a detail view on the line 22 of Fig. 1, showing the means by which the spiral spring is secured to the terminal coil by means 0 the locking device;

Fig. 3 is a detail bottom plan View showin the connecting means;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view showing the means by which the locking wire is secured to the terminal coil, the spiral connecting spring having been removed;

Fig. 5 is a side view of the pair of spring coils;

Fig. 6 is a plan view similar to Fig. 1. showing a slight modification of the crimped locking wire;

Fig. 7 is a detail View on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a detail bottom plan View similag to Fig. 3, but showing the modification; an

Fi 9 is aside View similar to Fig. 5, but showing the modification.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, a pair of adjacent coil spring units of a bed bottom, spring cushion or similar device, are designated generally at 10, 11. It will be understood that the spring units are arranged in parallel rows extending longitudinally and laterally of the bed bottom or similar structure, the outer or border units being secured to the frame of the bed while adjacent units are flexibly interconnected in a manner to be described. As the connecting devices are the same for each adjacent pair of units, a single pair only will be described.

As shown the terminal turn 12 of each is formed of plain uncrimped wire and is substantially circular in shape, the usual terminal knot being shown at 13.

According to present practice indentations or crimps are frequently formed in the terminal coils to provide a means for securing together the adjacent coils. As the wire of wh ch the coils are composed is necessarily of spring steel and of comparatively heavy gage, the crimping process is attended with considerable difficulty and furthermore somewhat diminishes the strength of the spring at the crimped portions.

According to the present invention these objectionable features are avoided by the use of a separate crimped wire locking device 14, which may be readily bent into proper shape, being then detachably secured to the terminal turns of each coil unit and having hooks 15 formed integral therewith which serve as a means for securing in place connecting devices 16, herein shown as tightly coiled helical springs unmodified by any peculiar operation after coiling and cutting to the required length. As these locking devices do not' have to stand any strain they may be composed of soft untempered material of considerably lighter gage than that of which the spring units 10, 11, are composed. the latter being required to support heavy loads.

As shown, the locking wire is secured to the terminal turns by means of the hooks 15 formed integral with the locking wire and bent over the wire 12, as shown clearl in Fig. 4. Integral portions of the loc 'ng wire 14:, in the form of loops 17, 18, are also shown as extending beneath and beyond the terminal turn wire 12 at each side of the book 15. The hooks 15' and loops 17, 18, are readily formed in the light locking wire by means of a crimping machine, and, as stated above, serve as an anchoring means for the spiral connecting springs 16.

As shown the locking wire is bent into approximately the form of a square, the hooks and loops being formed at each of its four corners. To prevent accidental removv cause the end of the spiral to successively pass over the hook 15 downwardly throug the loop 18, upwardly again through loop 17, over the hook 15, and through loop 18, theend then passing behind the terminal turn 12. The spiral is normally locked against further rotation in the same direction by'the engagement of its end 20 against the wire 12 and against the rear end of the book 15 (see Fig. 2).

In order to secure the other end of the spiral connecting coil to the locking wire in the opposite member 11 of the pair of coil units, it is necessary to force the first end 20 of the spiral past the normal locking position herein shown by continuing the rotation of the spiral in the original direction, as before, for two more turns. The rotation is then reversed and the other end of the spiral is thus threaded through the loop 18 over hook 15, through loop 17, finally engaging the terminal wire 12 of the coil 11 and the rear of the hook 15, this threadin being accomplished by rotating the spira for two turns in a direction opposite to that in which it was first rotated. This reverse rotation also brings the first end 20 back to the normal locking position referred to above (see Fig. 2), so that accidental rotation of the spiral in either direction is now pre- Vented. (Fig. 1).

Other spirals 16 are similarly secured at each corner of the locking wire and furnish means of attachment for other spring. units of a bed bottom or the like.

The construction illustrated in Figs. 6to 9 I inclusive is similar to that just described, ex-

cept that the hooks 30, corresponding to the hooks 15 of the preferred construction, are bent sidewise so as to overlie one of the loops 31 formed in the locking wire, the strands forming the hook being also somewhat farther apart than in the construction previously described. In this embodiment of the invention the ends of the spirals are positively looked against one only of the strands which form the hook (Fig. 7), instead of against the wire 12 and both strands of the hook, as in Fig. 2. Furthermore, only a single rotation of the spiral is necessary to bring it into lockin position, instead of the two re quired in tile other form.

It will be readily seen that by the use of my invention a strong and flexible connection between adjacent coils of the bed bottom, or other spring cushion, is secured. The connecting means 1s simple to manufacture and readily applied to the terminal coils.

I claim as my invention 1. A connecting device for coil spring units comprising a crimped locking wire adapted to be secured to the terminal coil of each unit and crimped portions formed at intervals thereon for engaging said terminal coil, and spiral springs secured to said looking wire at said crimped portions.

2. A connecting device for coil spring units comprising a locking wire adapted to be secured to the terminal coils of each unit, and having loops formed integral therewith at intervals, and connecting springs secured to said locking Wire by means of said loops.

3. A connecting device for coil spring units comprising a locking wire, loops formed at intervals in said wire and engaging a terminal coil of a spring unit and spiral connecting springs having their end turns threaded through said loops and locked against further rotation.

4. In combination with the terminal coil of a spiral spring unit, a separate locking wire doubled and bent to form a hook about said terminal coil and bent adjacent to the hook to form loops and a connecting wire wound about the hook and through the loops.

5. In combination with the terminal coil of a spiral spring unit, a separate locking wire doubled and bent to form a double hook receiving the said terminal coil and an independent spiral connector having a turn adjacent to its end passing around and mousing the double hook.

6. In combination with the terminal coil of a spiral spring unit, a separate locking wire having its intermediate portion doubled and 100 ed about said terminal coil frmn the outside thereof, and a spiral connectin coil having a turn wound about the double portion of the locking wire. 

